The international status and usage of the euro has grown since its launch in 1999. When the euro formally replaced 12 currencies on 1 January 2002, it inherited their use in territories such as Montenegro and replaced minor currencies tied to pre-euro currencies, such as in Monaco.

The euro is used by 350 million people in Europe and additionally, over 200 million people worldwide use currencies pegged to the euro. [8] It is the second-largest reserve currency as well as the second-most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar .

The euro is the most tangible proof of European integration: around 341 million people use it every day, making it the second most-used currency worldwide. The benefits of the common currency are immediately obvious to anyone travelling abroad or shopping online on websites based in another EU country.

The euro was launched on 1 January 1999, when it became the currency of more than 300 million people in Europe. For the first three years it was an invisible currency, only used for accounting purposes, e.g. in electronic payments.

You can use the euro in 20 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Discover more about the euro, which countries use it and the exchange rates.

Discover the history of the euro, countries using the euro, how the European Central Bank manages the euro, euro use outside the EU and euro design.

Mar 6, 2025 · The euro is the monetary unit and currency of the European Union, represented by the symbol €. It began as a noncash monetary unit in 1999 before being issued as currency notes and coins in 2002. The euro replaced the national currencies of participating EU states and some non-EU states. When was the euro created?

As of January 2023, a total of 20 full members of the European Union have designated the euro as their primary currency, and six additional members are in the process of completing the prerequisites so they can do the same.

The euro is the second most important currency in the world. The proportion of international payments made in euros and US dollars is roughly equal and the euro is the world’s second favourite currency for borrowing, lending and central bank reserves.

Information on the euro's status as legal tender in the euro area and its practical use as a national currency. Which non-EU members use the euro or link their currency to the euro, and how the euro is used as a global currency.